The Derby della Madonnina is upon us, and the added spice of the title race makes this one of the most interesting editions in a while. AC Milan are the hosts this time, and this game probably represents their final chance this season to close the gap on league leaders Inter Milan.
The Rossoneri have been grinding out results with plenty of inconsistency, which has seen their local rivals and Serie A leaders establish a dominant ten-point lead at the top. A recent loss to Parma ended their 24-game unbeaten run, which had looked vulnerable for a while.
However, ahead of this huge Derby della Madonnina, Massimiliano Allegri will feel this could be his team’s final chance to get back into the title race and reduce the deficit to seven points. A draw in the derby would still leave Milan with a slim hope of chasing Inter, but a defeat would all but end the title race, at least psychologically.
Heading into this massive derby, visitors Inter Milan will be the team under less pressure to secure a win. Three points would all but put them firmly in control of the title race, but they do not need to rush into things at this point. Cristian Chivu will still expect a big display from his players, but he will know the onus is on their opponents to deliver.
Inter Milan enter this edition of the Derby della Madonnina on an eight-game winning streak in Serie A. They may have suffered a blow in the Champions League in recent weeks, but Chivu’s men remain focused on their league task and are currently the favourites to get their hands on the title. That belief would only be strengthened further with a win over AC Milan on Sunday.
Massimiliano Allegri does not have too many problems from recent games, but he will have to make do without forgotten striker Santiago Gimenez, Matteo Gabbia, and Ruben Loftus-Cheek. The English midfielder has suffered a serious facial injury, which will see him miss several weeks of action.
Allegri will have plenty of selection decisions to make, especially in midfield. Samuel Ricci and Luka Modric will marshal the midfield setup alongside Ardon Jashari, with Allegri likely to call upon Davide Bartesaghi and Zachary Athekame in the wing-back roles.
There may not be any changes to his back three, but Allegri might prefer Rafael Leao and Christian Pulisic over Christopher Nkunku and Niclas Fullkrug up front.
Probable Line-up (3-5-2): Maignan; Pavlovic, Tomori, Winter; Athekame, Modric, Ricci, Jashari, Bartesaghi; Pulisic, Leao
Inter MilanCristian Chivu must make do without skipper Lautaro Martinez, who continues to nurse a calf problem, while his return date remains unclear at this point. Once again, Francesco Pio Esposito and Ange-Yoan Bonny will battle it out to partner senior striker Marcus Thuram.
Beyond the skipper, there do not appear to be any fresh injury concerns, and Chivu will be pleased to have Denzel Dumfries and Hakan Calhanoglu back in action after their respective fitness issues.
The latter is widely expected to start against his former side in this clash, while it remains to be seen whether Dumfries gets the nod ahead of Luiz Henrique on the right flank. Piotr Zielinski could be preferred to Henrikh Mkhitaryan in the Inter Milan midfield.
Probable Line-up (3-5-2): Sommer; Bisseck, Akanji, Bastoni; Henrique, Barella, Calhanoglu, Zielinski, Dimarco; Thuram, Esposito
Since scoring the winner in the reverse fixture against Inter Milan, the USMNT star has suffered fitness issues, which have in turn affected his overall form. Pulisic will be eager to produce a top-notch display and begin the process of getting back to his best, not only for Milan but also to be in top shape ahead of the World Cup.
The Derby della Madonnina is a great opportunity for Pulisic to show he has the clutch quality in his game to turn things around for his club. The attacker will be one of the key players in focus ahead of this all-important derby, as he will want to deliver a big performance against Inter Milan on Sunday.
This edition of the Derby della Madonnina is poised to entertain and could end in a momentous draw. AC Milan are under greater pressure to get things right and claim the three points in a bid to close the gap on their rivals at the top of the table, which might not play into their hands.
On the other side, Inter Milan may come into this game with a clear strategy not to lose, but they will take any opportunity to win it. However, they have not won a Derby della Madonnina in their last six attempts across all competitions, and this game could potentially end in an entertaining draw.
